CAVENDISH’S GREEN HOLIDAY GUIDE 2024

Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday season, complete with gift buying, tree decorating and lots of cooking and eating. Below are some tips on keeping the holidays “green” and even save you some in the process.

 Shop locally. Ludlow Farmer’s Market is Dec. 14, 9-5 at the Ludlow Community Center. Lots of area artists, including Mason House Pottery from Cavendish, will be set up.

The Holiday Fiesta also takes place on Dec. 14 (Saturday) from 10-noon at the Cavendish Library. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS), thanks to a grant from the Cavendish Community Fund (CCF), you can make your own beautiful selection of ornaments and other objects, which can be given as gifts or used to decorate your home and tree. This event is free and open to the public.

 Check out Black River Good Neighbors Services Thrift and Furniture Stores in Ludlow. They have a wide range of gently used items, including some brand new items, for a fraction of the cost.

Consider a gift certificate to one of Cavendish’s businesses or non-profits. Use the Cavendish Business Directory to help in making the right selection.

 Minimize food waste/compost:. Food waste is the #1 material going to landfills each day. Start by buying and making only what you need. Try new ways to use your leftovers. Add any scraps to your compost. The Cavendish Transfer Station accepts compost. Please follow the Transfer Station guidelines.

Switch to LED holiday lighting/recycle E-Waste. LED lighting strands use around 80 percent less electricity than regular holiday lights. Be sure to plug your LED lights into indoor and outdoor timers to further save on electricity costs. You can recycle burnt out lights, batteries and other “dead” electronics at the Cavendish Transfer Station’s E-waste building.

Wrapping paper and cards that can be recycled: There are lots of ways to make your own wrapping paper from newspaper, fabric scraps, or simple brown craft paper. The same goes for cards. Keep in mind if purchasing cards and gift wrap-non metallic paper and cards can be recycled at the Transfer Station as can cardboard boxes. The following cannot: Ribbons, bows, twine and anything that’s long and string; shiny Christmas cards printed on photo paper; those with metallic embossing, glitter; or metallic, glitter, velvety flocking wrapping paper.

Plastic bags can be recycled, just not at the Transfer Station. The following plastic bag items can be recycled at various local stores- grocery bags, bread bags, case overwrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, wood pellet bags, Ziploc & other re-sealable bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, salt bags, and cereal bags. All materials must be clean, dry and free of food residue. The following local stores participate in the Trex recycling program: Market Basket, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Shaw’s, Target, and Whole Foods.

Recycling Christmas Trees, Wreaths etc.: Real trees, wreaths and greenery are biodegradable, which means that can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes. Never burn your Christmas tree in a fireplace or wood stove. Pines, firs and other evergreens have a high content of flammable turpentine oils.  Burning the tree may contribute to creosote buildup and risk a chimney fire.

After you've removed the tinsel, lights and decorations consider the following:

• Take it to the Cavendish Transfer Station during normal business hours.

 • Cut it up for mulch in your garden or a neighbors.

 • Set it up for the birds. Spread small branches with margarine or peanut butter and dip in birdseed.

 • Even if you live on a small property, you can place your old Christmas tree at the edge of your yard. This makes a small wintertime wildlife habitat for rabbits, birds, and squirrels. Some may even build their nests in the pine boughs!

 • Cut up and save for an outdoor fire pit. Never use for indoor fires.

 • Make a sachet with the tree’s needles and store in various rooms in your house that could use a Christmas pick me up.

 • Large branches have a natural curve. Because of this, they can be stacked to save perennial flowers including, but not limited to, rose roots and berries. This will help protect these tender plants during this winter's icy storms! Can also use them for indoor plants.

 • Cut off boughs and lay them over perennial beds to protect them from snow and reduce frost heaving.

The Cavendish Transfer Station is open Wednesday and Saturday from 8-5 and on Sunday from 10-5

As at any other time of the year: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle